Halloween is just days away. But a new study out this week might make you think twice before letting your kids dive into their candy.
The study from UC San Francisco looked at obese children with at least one metabolic disorder, for instance hypertension. The kids were given a sugar-restricted diet. They consumed the same number of calories, but with starchy foods replacing sugary ones. Pediatric Endocrinologist Robert Lustig led the study. He says within 10 days their blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol and liver functions improved.
“Sugar is the alcohol of the child,” Lustig said. “Now you would never give your kids a can of beer, but you don’t think twice about giving your kid a can of soda. But they do they exact same thing to your body and cause the same diseases.”
Lustig says sugar calories are particularly harmful to your body compared to other calories. He says a similar study shows comparable results in adults.
This story was produced by Capital Public Radio.